


For More Than Power

by ArvenaPeredhel, CaptainBrower



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, Freeform, Friends to Lovers, No Place In Canon, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-27
Updated: 2016-10-10
Packaged: 2018-08-11 08:57:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7884829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArvenaPeredhel/pseuds/ArvenaPeredhel, https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainBrower/pseuds/CaptainBrower
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Something is stirring in the Kindergarten...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_”Amethyst!”_

There it was; the sound the small purple Gem had been waiting for all morning. Amethyst reclined on her favorite ‘soft’ pile and waited, eyes closed. She ticked off the seconds with short fingers. Her timing was impeccable.

“Amethyst!” Pearl’s shrill voice floated around a column of stacked electronics long before the Gem made an appearance.

“Sup, P?” Amethyst crossed her arms behind her head, a smirk plastered across her face. She cracked an eye open to look at the furious Gem standing at the bottom edge of the pile. Pearl had her hands on her hips. Amethyst chuckled quietly at the tapping, impatient foot.

“Where is it?” Pearl blurted, her face scrunched just the way Amethyst liked best. It used to be easy; getting under Pearl’s skin. Amethyst closed her eyes again and gestured at the mess she’d accumulated. 

“You gotta be a little more specific, P. There’s a lot of stuff in here.” Not nearly enough, but it was getting there. Steven wasn’t breaking stuff like he used to. 

“You know what I mean.” Pearl looked around, her shoulders bunching. “I want my sansibar back.” 

“I didn’t take your stupid sword okay?.” Amethyst sat up, shirt strap falling over her right shoulder. Pearl narrowed her eyes at the younger Gem.

“I know you took it.” Pearl reached out to prod her with a slender finger. “You’re always breaking into my room and stealing my things.” 

Amethyst hopped off of her pile, shrugging. Her eyes darted towards the sword’s resting place. She’d been careful to place the object near the waterfall that connected her room with Pearl’s. 

“You’re always blaming me for your stuff getting sucked down here.” Amethyst brushed up against Pearl as she passed, pretending to search indiscriminately among the junk piles. Pearl rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

“Three times in a week is a bit much…” Pearl grumbled, using her foot to overturn a folding chair. “Even for you.”

Amethyst smiled, turning her face away from the pale Gem. Pearl had been distant...preoccupied by Steven and the increasing amount of corrupted Gems recently. Amethyst reached out the only way she knew how.

“Is this it?” Amethyst closed her hand around the sword’s handle and lifted. A blackened banana peel dangled from the point. Pearl gasped and snatched the weapon from Amethyst, cradling it. Amethyst rolled her eyes at the gentle coos of reassurance the taller female gave to her sword. She was a little jealous.

“Why do you keep taking my things?” Pearl looked hard at her, clutching the sword close to her body. Amethyst shrugged again and didn’t say anything. There were several reasons, the most important being she was bored.

“I told you, your stuff…”

“Just falls down here, I know.”

“If you know, then why are you asking?” Amethyst pushed into Pearl’s personal space. 

“How can you even live in this…” Pearl gestured around the untidy cavern. “This mess?”

“I _have_ a system!” Amethyst was shouting now. Pearl had a peculiar way of getting under her skin too.

“You have a disaster area!” Pearl balled her hands into fists, kicking over a small stack of vinyl records Amethyst had arranged by size. “It took me a week to get the grease out of my scabbard.” 

“Maybe you should…” Amethyst was interrupted by the arrival of Garnet. The impassive Gem stepped between them, one hand holding Pearl away from the smaller Gem.

“You two are making enough noise to wake the dead.”

“Tell her Garnet!” Pearl clutched at Garnet’s hand, pointing distractedly at Amethyst. “Tell her to stay out of my room.”

Garnet turned her head to Amethyst, who pouted, crossing her arms and trying to look indifferent. She glanced to the side, unwilling to look Garnet in the lenses. 

You couldn’t lie to Garnet...no matter how much you wanted to.

“Amethyst…”

“I know! I know!” Amethyst threw her hands up. She didn’t really remember why she had taken the sword except to rile up the pale Gem. The sport was losing its pizzazz. “Pearl’s right and I’m wrong.”

“Amethyst…”

“No, that’s it isn’t it!” Her temper was beyond her control now. Pearl froze, her face twisted in irritation. Amethyst pointed a pudgy finger at the slender Gem. “You _always_ take her side!”

Pearl pushed past Garnet, jabbing Amethyst in the chest with her hand. She leaned over Amethyst, looming like a mother hen over her brood.

“You’re always acting like a child!” Pearl crossed her arms, tossing her head. “A selfish little brat who…”

“Enough!” Garnet stepped between them again, pushing them apart with heavy gauntlets. Amethyst slid back a few feet. Her toes gouged a line in the earthen floor. Pearl dusted herself off and looked away, nose turned up. Amethyst growled. 

“You two need to stop fighting.” Garnet looked at both of them. “Now.” 

Pearl glared at Amethyst. 

“You’re right Garnet. We need to set a good example for Steven.” Pearl tied the sword to her waist and moved to stand by Garnet. The red Gem stepped away. 

“Not for Steven.” Garnet looked pointedly at Pearl. “For Opal.”

“What do you mean ‘for Opal?’” Amethyst drooped over to a pile of plastic bags, burying herself until only her eyes showed. It felt safe in her piles. It didn’t matter which one. It made her happy to see Pearl as confused as she was.

Opal was a sore subject. 

They were arhythmic.

“The Corrupted Gems are our top priority.” Garnet adjusted her glasses. “Opal will come in handy and this petty squabbling won’t help anyone.” 

Pearl looked away, her lip curled. Amethyst pouted hard. She liked being Opal. It was Miss Frosty Box who didn’t like it anymore. 

“So what do you want us to do?” Amethyst poked her head out of the bags. “Practice or something lame like that?”

“Start by checking the warps.” Garnet turned to Pearl, serious. “Together.”

Pearl groaned but didn’t argue. Amethyst emerged from her pile with baleful eyes. Pearl gestured for her to open the door to the beach house. Amethyst’s gem began to glow and the portal opened. 

They jostled at the door; Amethyst trying to squeeze through before Pearl. They stood, smashed together and struggling. A gentle push from Garnet sent Pearl stumbling forward. Amethyst darted up to the warp pad, grinning. Pearl stood up and dusted herself off.

“Come on P,” Amethyst chided. “Take all day about it.” Pearl grumbled and stepped onto the pad, arms crossed. The surface began to glow and in a flash of light, they were gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, I want to say that I am not current with this series. I am doing my best to catch up but please bear with any breach of canon/continuity. 
> 
> For those who care about this sort of thing, I am using a narrative in which Pearl belongs to White Diamond. I'm sorry if this upsets you in some fashion but it makes sense to me this way. The reference is casual so don't expect a big fan theory on why I think this is possible as opposed to alternatives. I will also provide more explanation about Marcasite/Pyrite when I reach the chapter they feature in. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy my work. As always comment and kudo! I love discussions.


	2. Chapter 2

Amethyst buried her hands in her hair when they warped to the lost island. The humidity made her already untidy mane into an unruly, coiled mess. The small Gem fell face first into the sand and continued to walk, plowing the fine grains aside with her head.

“UGGGH! I hate it here.”

“You liked it last time we were here with Steven…” Pearl looked around, anxious and skittish; she was a worrier. Amethyst huffed, standing up out of the trough she had made and pushing the hair out of her eyes. 

“Yah that’s ‘cause Steven is cool and fun.” 

“So you’re saying I’m not ‘cool and fun?’” Pearl placed her hands on her hips. Amethyst blew a strand of hair off her face.

“Have you met yourself, Pearl?” Amethyst leaned back in the sand, her body glowing brightly. The light receded, leaving Amethyst resembling a lavender colored Pearl. She batted her eyelashes, putting a hand on her chest.

“Oh Steven! Never do anything because you might get horribly injured.” Amethyst stood up and imitated a lazy pirouette, bouncing over to Pearl. “I’m Pearl and I’ve never had fun ever.”

“I am...fun!” Pearl snapped, pushing beyond the beach and into the dense jungle. Amethyst followed, still chirping barbs at Pearl. “In a safe and structured environment.”

“Are you hearing yourself P?” Amethyst rolled her eyes. “Every single one of those words is boring.” 

Pearl twitched her fingers, face scrunched together. Despite her constant rigid attitude, the pale Gem did not like the insinuation that she was ‘uptight’ or ‘neurotic.’

Amethyst bored of the Pearl shape quickly and transformed into her usual self. Pearl kept to the pathways while Amethyst careened through the undergrowth, yelling and shaking the vegetation. Pearl was thankful when they reached the warp pad again; nothing out of the ordinary. She stepped onto it, waiting for Amethyst to be serious.

“Let’s stay here a while P.” Amethyst eyed the beach longingly. “I wanna build a sand castle.” Pearl wagged her finger at the childish Gem. 

“Garnet asked us to do something…”

“Yeah but not how long we had to take. Steven will be with Connie all day, what’s the rush?”

Pearl mumbled something, inaudible and tapped her shoe on the warp pad. Amethyst gave up and scrambled up to the pad. She stuck her tongue out at Pearl before the warp activated, shooting them to the next location.

The next place was a sheer plane of ice and snow. Amethyst immediately began to shout, excited beyond her ability to use actual words. She placed her hands on her head, mouth agape. Pearl cringed a little, unsure how the would get through.

The warp pad was surrounded by small penguins.

“Peeaarrll,” Amethyst grabbed her by the face, pulling the taller Gem into an uncomfortable bend. “Pearl, they’re penguins!”

Pearl scoffed and pulled away, straightening her clothes. 

“I have eyes Amethyst...I can see them just fine.” Pearl glanced toward Amethyst. She was no longer on the pad. “Amethyst!”

The small Gem had disappeared into the crowd of penguins. Pearl grumbled, scanning the penguins for the telltale purple that would give Amethyst away.

“WARK!” Pearl jumped, tumbling off the edge of the warp pad. Amethyst had slipped behind her. Pearl glared up at the little purple penguin on the dias. Amethyst transformed again, holding her sides while she laughed.

Pearl got to her feet, nudging the penguins who gathered around her. Dirty snow clung to her skinny frame, making Amethyst laugh harder. 

“This isn’t the time for jokes,” Pearl muttered, swiping the snow from her shoulders and grimacing. Amethyst groaned.

“When is the time then?” The smaller Gem kicked a rock around with her feet. “You never want to see me anymore...and the only time you do is when Garnet says you have to.”

Pearl opened her mouth to protest. Amethyst continued.

“But hey, you’re perfect right? Must be something wrong with me.” Amethyst shoved her way through the penguin flock. The birds squawked and let her pass. Pearl stood with her hands at her sides, unsure what to say. It was true...she didn’t spend much time with Amethyst anymore. 

Perhaps this was Garnet’s way of fixing that. 

Pearl frowned and looked at the birds, admiring their sleek feathers that made them appear to be professionally dressed. A wet clod of snow hit her in the face. Pearl shook her head, ready to argue. Amethyst stood in front of her, arms full of snowballs. The playful luster was gone from her eyes. Her heart wasn’t in the game anymore. It worried Pearl. 

“Sheesh P…” Amethyst dropped the snowballs in a heap at her feet. “Lighten up.” She left the elder Gem surrounded by penguins, just as confused as she was. 

Pearl shivered when they entered the Galaxy warp. The cracked pads made her uncomfortable. Despite...everything, Pearl missed the Homeworld. Amethyst flipped her hair over her shoulder and remained on the pad. 

“Go check them then…” She waved a pudgy hand towards the series of collapsed warps, dominated by the Homeworld warp glittering innocuously above the rest.

“You’re not going to help?”

“I’m not as big on this place as you guys.” Amethyst sat down on the warp pad. Pearl glared at her. “What P? It’s a finite area. Afraid you’ll get lost?”

“We’re supposed to be doing this together.”

“Yeah?” Amethyst got to her feet, angry now. Pearl never wanted to spend time with her...never wanted to dance anymore. “Cause Garnet said?!”

Amethyst moved over to one of the warp pads, kicking it hard and bruising her toe. The crack split wider. Pearl gasped and moved to stop her. Amethyst shrugged her off and moved to the next one.

“There! See? I’m helping!” Amethyst drove her fist into the nearest warp pad. “This one’s broken, but what about that one?! I’d better check!” 

The small Gem coiled herself into a ball and rammed the Homeworld warp. She bounced off, clutching her head and groaning. Amethyst fell back to the floor, wiggling in pain. She opened her eyes. Pearl was standing over her, her gaze steely and cold. 

“Are you finished?” 

Amethyst sat up, a pout forming on her full lips. Her hair fell into her eyes, hiding her face from Pearl. She refused to apologize. Pearl wouldn’t believe her anyway.

“Come on.” Pearl stepped away and waited for Amethyst at the warp pad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always please enjoy my work!


	3. Chapter 3

Pearl hated the Kindergarten. Despite her resistance to heat and cold, the place had a way of getting into her bones unlike anything else. It was quiet except for a shrill wind that whistled in and out of Gem holes. 

Amethyst immediately darted away, climbing onto a boulder and perching there. Pearl took a deep breath and stepped off the pad. More than anything she wished Amethyst would take this seriously. The tension was nearly palpable. Pearl felt the frown returning to her lips. It seemed to be permanent now.

The sooner they left this place, the better.

Amethyst made herself at home, sliding down from her boulder and entertaining herself with rock piles. Pearl kept her eye on the purple Gem, unwilling to be frightened again. 

Pearl wandered, arms tight around her body as she inspected the small caverns where Gems had been grown until they burst from the earth like flowers. She noticed that many had been resealed. Pearl reached out to touch the earthen wall that separated her from the interior of the tomb.

“Amethyst,” Pearl called out to her teammate. If anyone would know about this, she would. The sound of a falling rock echoed around her. Pearl looked up, searching for the disturbance. No one was there. She bent her head to the strange rock tomb once more. A second rock fell, closer this time.

“Amethyst?” Pearl cast her gaze around the area, desperate for Amethyst to show herself. It wasn’t funny anymore.

The shriek of metal on metal stole her attention away from the curiosity. A Gem depositor lurched lazily to one side, scrambling to stand on broken legs. Pearl’s eyes widened. She drew her spear from her Gem and leaped behind a haphazard tower of rock.

“Amethyst!” Pearl hissed, hoping the Gem was close at hand. The machine tipped dangerously before careening back and forth, fighting for balance. Pearl clutched her spear, her breath coming fast and hard.

She peered around the rock. It was a simple matter of taking it to the ground again. One of the legs sparked, belching a shower of hot embers onto the ground below. Pearl had her weak point...where was her ally? Opal flashed across her mind’s eye. Pearl shook her head. She wouldn’t be needed for this. This was a small thing. 

Pearl emerged from her hiding place, hurling the spear with deadly accuracy. The point struck true, bathing the ground in sparks and machine parts as the weapon sliced cleanly through the weakest leg. Pearl darted beneath the machine, scooping up her blade and spinning. The tip rammed through a second leg. The machine lurched toward her for a split second before toppling away and crashing to the ground. Glass shattered and flew everywhere. Pearl put her arms up to shield her eyes from the shards. 

“Awww Pearl…” Amethysts voice whined from nearby. Pearl swiped the debris from her face and looked around. The purple Gem sat in the middle of it all, surrounded by the control console of the now defunct machine. “I always wanted to drive one of these bad boys.”

Pearl pushed her hands into short straw-colored hair, biting lip to keep from screaming. It didn’t work; the thread of her temper frayed and finally snapped.

“What is wrong with you?!” Pearl shouted, fists clenched at her sides. “What were you thinking?” 

Pearl began to pace, desperate to expend some of the energy threatening to overtake her. She paused and pointed at Amethyst, face twisted in anger.

“I’ll tell you what you were thinking,” Pearl didn’t care they were supposed to be looking for Corrupted Gems and shards. She didn’t care they were in the most desolate, upsetting part of the world. She shouted; to get through Amethyst’s thick head. “You weren’t thinking at all! I’d be surprised if a day goes by where you have a single thought!”

“It was just for fun P…”

“Fun?! I could have killed you Amethyst!” Pearl resumed her pacing.

“But you didn’t!” Amethyst strode up to her, puffing her chest. “No harm, no foul!”

Pearl glared, teeth grinding audibly. She leaned down, eye level with Amethyst.

“That’s all you have to say?” Pearl grabbed Amethyst by the shoulders, gripping her tightly. “You’re not even sorry? You _scared_ me Amethyst. I thought something happened to you, something did almost happen to you.”

“Like you’d even care if I was sorry.” Amethyst mumbled, looking away. Pearl forced her to look at her, serious. “Or got hurt…”

“No.” Her voice was level and controlled now. “This stops now Amethyst. You’re selfish and reckless...you’re dangerous. This is why...this is why we _can’t_ form Opal. You’re a mess.”

Amethyst tried to hide behind her hair, Pearl refused to let her go. Tears formed in the smaller Gem’s eyes. Pearl waited for the inevitable rushing apologetic explanation that came after Amethyst’s outbursts.

Amethyst choked out a sob, muttering something Pearl couldn’t hear.

“Of course, typical Amethyst behavior.” Pearl straightened up and crossed her arms. “I’ve tried talking to you, I’ve tried reasoning with you...I should have known you’d never grow up.” 

“Shut up…” Amethyst mumbled. 

“I don’t know why Garnet thought this was a good idea…” Pearl turned away, unwilling to indulge Amethyst’s petulant behavior any longer. 

“You wouldn’t mind if I was _her!_ ” Amethyst was shouting now. Pearl refused to look at her, flinching hard.

“Don’t…” Her voice trembled. She heard the quiet noise that accompanied Amethyst’s shapeshifting. 

“Don’t what?” Amethyst’s voice was hard and sharp. Pearl had never heard her like this before. “You used to like me, Pearl…”

“Amethyst please,” Pearl begged now, keeping her back to the other Gem. She didn’t want to see; she knew what she would see.

“Tell me to my face!” Amethyst roared. Pearl cringed, tears prickling her eyes. “Tell me you don’t want to fuse with me anymore.”

“Please stop…” Pearl looked down at the hand that grasped her wrist. It was familiar.

It wasn’t Amethyst’s.

“Don’t do this to me again…” Pearl was whispering now, fully formed tears streaking her cheeks. She glanced shyly over her shoulder, just making out lustrous, thick coils of lavender hair...a cheap imitation of the real thing.

“Again?!” Amethyst pulled on Pearl’s hand, spinning her around. Pearl screwed her eyes shut. Amethyst didn’t care...Pearl didn’t need to see to remember. The shape faltered. “You kissed _me_ Pearl!” 

“I…didn’t.” Pearl whimpered, eyes still closed. Steven had been screaming. He stopped. She’d wanted to know why...she made a mistake. Amethyst had only wanted to help.

What infant would reject peace in the arms of his mother?

“You did!” Amethyst was crying now. “You wouldn’t let go of me...you begged me to stay.”

“I thought you were her!” Pearl opened her eyes, anger edging back into her pitiful voice.

“And no one else will ever be good enough will they?” Amethyst balled her hands into fists, tears spilling onto the bare rock. Pearl wouldn’t look her in the eye. “Will they?!” 

Pearl stayed quiet.

“O-Okay…I get it.” Amethyst covered her eyes and hurtled headfirst into the maze she once called home. Pearl fell forward, bracing her hands on the ground against the painful sobs threatening her. She couldn’t go back to that night...unsay the things she’d said to Amethyst in the guise of Rose Quartz. She couldn’t go back and bridge the distance she had forced upon them. 

“Amethyst!” Pearl straightened up, calling out to her friend. “Amethyst, please I’m sorry!”

She curled her hands around her mouth, casting her voice across the barren walls. It could take her years to find Amethyst. This place had been her home; she’d been here for centuries. Pearl could barely stand to be here for more than few minutes. Pearl fell to her knees again, punching a circular dent in the earth.

“I...I didn’t want this.” 

Pearl searched for hours, finding many strange things, but no sign of Amethyst. The pale Gem returned to the warp pad, hoping to enlist Garnet or Steven to help coax the little Gem out of hiding.

Amethyst was sitting there, fiddling with the toe of her boot. Pearl’s breath hitched in her throat. Amethyst had been tunneling; she was covered in black earth. Amethyst glanced up but didn’t move, hair covering most of her face. Pearl moved to stand in front of her, opening her mouth to speak.

“Move Pearl…” Amethyst grumbled, pushing gently at her legs.

“We need to talk…”

“You need to move.” Amethyst looked up at her with a startling serious face. “You’ll scare them off again.”

“What? Scare who off?”

“I don’t know…” Amethyst resumed her slumping position, clearly waiting for something. Her voice stayed low; it worried Pearl. “There’s someone hiding over there.”

“Of course you don’t know.” Pearl climbed up onto the warp pad. “You haven’t invented them yet.”

The warp pad flashed before Amethyst could begin her protest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was very intense for me. I am quite proud of it. A huge thank you to both my wife and my very good friend, ArvenaPeredhel. They were an enormous boon to me on this chapter. Please enjoy!


	4. Chapter 4

“Pearl! Amethyst!” Steven’s voice was the first thing that greeted them when they arrived back at the beach house, followed by a tight hug. The tension between the two Gems was taut and brittle, but suddenly subdued by the presence of the boy who lived with them.

“Hey Ste-Man” Amethyst slapped his waiting palm, moving as far away from Pearl as she could without being suspicious. Pearl noticed Garnet watching...they couldn’t hide anything. 

“You guys were gone a long time!” Steven bounced over to the couch. Pearl noticed he was wearing pyjamas. It was very dark outside. “Did you find any cool super secret Gem stuff?”

“No,” Pearl put a finger to her lips. “Nothing out of the ordinary.” Amethyst slumped down on the couch and closed her eyes. Garnet scooped Steven off the ground, hugging him tightly.

“Steven, I said you could stay up until Pearl and Amethyst came home.”

“Awww come on Garnet, they just got back!” Steven whined, yawning despite his desire to stay awake. Garnet chuckled and nudged him with her nose before setting him down. She ruffled his hair and pushed him towards his bedroom. 

“You can visit with them tomorrow.” Garnet smiled at the boy. “I’m sure they’ve had quite an adventure without us.” 

Amethyst kept her eyes closed, flinching when Pearl’s weight settled at the opposite end of the couch. They stayed quiet, neither willing to breach the fledgling peace Steven had created for them. Garnet returned, arms crossed. She jerked her head towards the temple door. 

They entered Garnet’s room. It made Pearl queasy to be in here; the red walls made her feel like she was inside a human. The idea was nauseating. The lava pool bubbled once, gurgling away in the silence. 

“What happened?” Garnet spoke first. 

“Amethyst thinks she saw something in the Kindergarten.” Pearl began, facade of indignation rising as it always did when Amethyst was being petulant. Amethyst did not waste time losing her temper. 

“I _did_ see something!” Amethyst growled, crossing her arms. Pearl eyed her carefully, unsure if she would mention what else had happened there. 

“What did you see?” Garnet bent down to meet Amethyst’s eyes, curious.

“I don’t know...I tried being quiet to see if it would come out but Pearl scared it off before I could see.” 

“You? Quiet?” Pearl replied, turning her nose in the air. She was trying to forget the silent hours when she had been searching for her...the utter desolation that made her feel more alone than she thought possible. Garnet was looking at her over the top of her lenses. She took the hint and quieted down.

“What did you see Amethyst?”

“There’s another Gem there...maybe a few.”

“Amethyst that’s impossible!” Pearl blurted, incensed that Amethyst continued this charade...possibly to make her look bad in front of Garnet. “You’re the last Gem to come out of that horrible place.”

“Tell me more Pearl!” Amethyst pushed her way over to Pearl. “Tell me about how horrible I am!”

“I didn’t say you were…”

“No but that’s what you meant!” Amethyst ignored the hurt on Pearl’s face. “You’re always looking down on me because I didn’t come from your precious Homeworld.”

“Amethyst I…”

“You can be from Earth and still be important Pearl!” Amethyst gritted her teeth. “Even Rose knew that!” 

The words were out before she could stop them. Pearl’s face contorted in pain. She didn’t say anything. Pearl opened the portal to her room and disappeared.

“Probably shouldn’t have said that.” Garnet rested her hand on her chin, thoughtful. Amethyst huffed and kicked at a small rock nearby.

“She’s right Amethyst…” Garnet put her hand on Amethyst’s shoulder. “There hasn’t been an active Gem in the Kindergarten since we found you.”

“On accident…” Amethyst moved away and opened the door to her room. She looked back at Garnet, scowling. “I don’t know why you sent me if you won’t believe me.” 

Garnet looked at her, impassive as usual.

“I’m always going to be a mistake to you guys…” Amethyst left her behind, retreating to the only place she could be herself.

It was still dark when Amethyst emerged from her room. The house was quiet; Steven snored quietly, even Lion was nowhere to be found. She scurried over to the warp pad, careful not to trip around the room in the dark. 

If they didn’t believe her...she was going to prove it.

Dawn was beginning to shine on the Kindergarten when she arrived. The impulse to frolic rose in her but she shoved it down and tried to focus on what she had come here for. If Pearl needed her to be serious...well she would try. 

_’It won’t be good enough…’_

The thought nagged at her resolution. She bit it back with the image of Pearl’s stupefied face when she brought the rogue Gem back. 

Whatever it was, it was small. The footprints were barely there, no bigger than Steven’s feet. She’d had to widen the tunnels she’d found underground just to fit. 

Except for the big one…

Amethyst walked until she reached the tunnel she had made the day before. The darkness yawned at her, beckoning her to hide away...to stay where she knew who she was. She moved to enter the tunnel.

Something moved nearby, dislodging a small spray of rocks that clattered and clanked down the hill to her left. Amethyst curled into a ball and charged up the loose rock. She unfurled at the top, whip at the ready. 

A small figure squealed and tried to flee. Amethyst yelled excitedly and reached with the whip, coiling it around the Gem’s leg and pulling her back. The Gem hit the ground and poofed almost immediately. 

“What?!” Amethyst scurried over, searching for the Gem. She spotted it and snatched it out of the dirt. She opened her palm. It was full of dark, silvery grey-blue dust. 

The Gem had disintegrated.

A gust of wind blew the Gem dust from her hands. Amethyst blinked, totally confused. She looked around. It was quieter than usual. Amethyst recalled the last time she had seen the figure. It seemed nervous to approach. Pearl’s shouting had frightened it away. Maybe...maybe she _was_ right and there were more than one.

Amethyst secured her whip and opened her hands to the air. 

“I’m not going to hurt you…” A skittering caught her attention, somewhere behind her. She kept her eyes forward. “I just want to talk.” 

“Y-You promise?” A tiny, nearly imperceptible voice touched her ears. Amethyst turned slowly, lowering her hands to her sides. 

“I promise.” Amethyst sat on the ground, patting a spot in front of her. “I don’t bite….well I won’t bite you.”

A shape separated from a column of rock in front of her. The Gem was small; very small. She was barely as tall as Steven and as thin as Pearl. She walked slowly, as if it hurt her to move. Her mouth was set in a grim line, nervous to come much closer. 

“Who are you?” The unfamiliar Gem asked, sitting some distance from Amethyst. She was the smallest, weakest Gem Amethyst had ever seen. 

“I’m Amethyst.” Amethyst dared to scoot a little closer. “Who are you?” 

“M-Marcasite…” The Gem twiddled her fingers together. Amethyst scratched her head. She’d never heard of Marcasite before. She didn’t seem to have a Gem either; unless it was on her back. Her hair was a shaggy mess that covered her eyes, wedging sharply to the back of her neck. Her skin was the color of storm clouds, streaked through with veins of silver and blue green. 

“I’m sorry…” Amethyst hung her head. “I didn’t mean to hurt your friend.”

“We are small...weak.” Marcasite seemed unphased by the loss of the other. “Unusable. Contained.”

Amethyst frowned darkly. That was Homeworld talk...talk that Pearl didn’t know she still used sometimes. 

“What are you doing here?” Amethyst felt sure this Marcasite had not made that hole in the mountain. Not even if she had help. Maybe she knew what had. “I didn’t think there were other Gems still living here.”

“We’ve always been here...not many left now.” Marcasite looked away, out towards the cliffs where the most Gems had been grown. “She found us...but she’s scary now.”

Amethyst moved closer, within reach of Marcasite. 

“Who...who found you?” A rumbling shook the ground. Amethyst lurched to her feet, whip at the ready. Marcasite clutched at the hem of her shirt, coiling a free arm around Amethyst’s leg. Her silver blue eyes were wide and terrified.

“Please...don’t let her catch me.”

“Who?” Amethyst tried to keep her footing as the earth beneath her heaved.

“Pyrite!”

The ground burst open, throwing the Gems backward. Amethyst dropped her whip to protect Marcasite, landing heavily on her back. Marcasite’s body disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Gem dust blew across Amethyst’s chest and face. The Marcasite had shattered. 

“Where are you?!” A deep, multi toned voice emerged from the hole in the earth, followed by the speaker. Amethyst found her legs and darted behind a boulder, crouching down to stay hidden. She’d never seen a Gem like this…

No Gem should look like this. 

Pyrite was enormous and serpentine; part of her body remained in the hole she had come from. Her torso was framed by four pairs of arms, each shorter than the last. Amethyst peered around the boulder, shaking. The black skinned Gem thrashed around, raking the soil with large, multi fingered hands. Her skin was speckled with sickly greenish gold spots. 

“We need you Marcasite!” Pyrite growled. “You can’t hide from us!” 

Pyrite turned her head, iron grey hair swept back from her eyes and shot through with the same green-gold stripes. Amethyst froze. Pyrite saw her anyway. The malformed Gem chuckled and lay flat upon the ground to look at Amethyst with six, sinister golden eyes. 

“What is this then?” Pyrite reached around the boulder, pushing Amethyst into the open space. Amethyst tried to pretend like she wasn’t afraid...she was starting to wish she had just listened to Pearl. 

“Uhhh..hiya!” Amethyst waved up at her, grinning sheepishly.

“We’ve seen you before…” Pyrite pulled her body out of the hole, coiling around Amethyst. She touched Amethyst’s hair with a fingertip. “You look a little different. Bigger…”

“I’ve never seen you...I was born here.” Amethyst cast her eyes around, looking for a way out. She would have to jump over Pyrite; but where after? She couldn’t risk Pyrite finding the warp pad.

“We were small...weak. Hiding.” Pyrite circled her, agitated. “Not anymore. We are not afraid of the Gems anymore.” 

Amethyst made her move, unwilling to parley with this creature. She vaulted over the narrow point of Pyrite’s body, curling into a ball and hurtling into the canyon. Pyrite roared behind her and Amethyst heard the sound of her boring into the rock. 

The ground below lurched and dropped; Amethyst hit a rock and sprawled, sliding to a rough stop. She reached into her Gem, drawing her whip. Pyrite burst from ground, slapping the weapon away and seizing Amethyst in her hand. She laughed menacingly.

“We’ve always wanted to play with you.”


	5. Chapter 5

“Hey Pearl,” Steven greeted the Gem as she exited her room in the early afternoon. “Have you seen Amethyst today?”

Pearl controlled the flinch that came with the mention of Amethyst. She shook her head politely, yawning.

“I haven’t. Why?”

“I haven’t seen her yet…” Steven opened the refrigerator and pulled out the milk for his cereal. “I was hoping we could play on the beach today.”

Pearl poured the milk for him; he was still too short to reach the counter. He thanked her and moved to his little T.V. Pearl frowned, suddenly worried. 

“I’m sure she is in her room.” Pearl wasn’t so sure. The house was too quiet if Amethyst was home.

“Yeah.” Steven continued eating, undisturbed. “Garnet went out this morning.” 

Pearl grew excited for a moment. It wasn’t often she had time alone with Steven. The moment was soured by the idea Amethyst was missing. Pearl shook her head and settled down near Steven to watch his horridly inaccurate Lonely Blade movies. 

Sometime into the third consecutive film, Pearl began to worry for real. It wasn’t unusual for Garnet to be gone this long. Amethyst on the other hand… 

The phone rang, jarring Pearl from her musing. Steven jumped to his feet and raced to answer it. Pearl smoothed her skirt with her hands, uneasy. Steven slid back into the room, making her jump.

“Can I go into town? Reynaldo found a spooky thing he wants to show me.” He covered the receiver with his palm; Reynaldo was still on the phone. Pearl made a show of thinking about it. She wanted to use the time to find Amethyst, but she didn’t want him to worry. 

“I don’t know…” She tapped her lips with a pale finger. 

“Please Pearl? I’ll be home before it gets dark.” She watched as his eyes widened, growing shiny. 

Starry eyes like his mother…

“I suppose so.” Pearl reached down to pat him on the head. “Be home before dark.”

“Thanks!” Steven jumped to give her a hug around the middle. He raced away to pack his cheeseburger backpack. Pearl took the opportunity to return to her room. 

She needed to talk to Amethyst.

The ballerina stood at the edge of the waterfall that would take her into the cavernous maw that Amethyst called home. She took a deep breath, not quite ready for the confrontation sure to follow. Pearl jumped feet first into the waterfall.

“Amethyst?” Pearl sloshed out of the pool she had landed in, wringing her hair dry. “Amethyst I...I think we should talk.”

The room was quiet. 

“Please don’t play games with me…” Pearl’s shoulders slumped. She didn’t want to do this again. The games were old now; the jokes were tired. Amethyst never changed, no matter what was said to her; Pearl had grown weary of it. 

“Amethyst?” Pearl raised her voice. It echoed back to her. Worry crept into her chest. Amethyst really wasn’t home. Pearl had a feeling she wasn’t in town either. Panic welled in her throat. She had to calm down. She had to think.

She had to clean.

Pearl started with the kitchen. It was often a mess between Steven and Amethyst. Pearl wrinkled her nose, scrubbing hard at the stove top speckled with the remains of meals past. The dishes came next. She normally didn’t leave them so long but Amethyst and Steven had promised to do them this this time. 

Her mind worked as fast as her hands. She’d finished Steven’s room and moved on to the living room. Her mind had replayed over every small incident over the last day, scrambling for a detail missed...a clue in all the dialogue.

_’You’ll scare them away again…’_

The Kindergarten.

Pearl couldn’t believe she hadn’t thought of it earlier. Amethyst was probably rooting around in that awful place looking for whatever imaginary person she had seen there. Pearl took her time with the living room. Maybe Amethyst would come back of her own accord; empty handed. 

Pearl finished the house before she moved to the warp pad, wiping her hands with a soft towel. It was past the time to go and look now. The knot of worry returned, gnawing at her. She shook her head and pushed it down. Amethyst was fine; she was just being...difficult. Pearl stepped onto the warp.

“Amethyst!” Pearl called into the twisted wastes of the Kindergarten. She shivered; it seemed colder than usual when she was alone. She hoped this wouldn’t take long. 

“Amethyst?!” Pearl called again.

“Be quiet!” A voice hissed at her from somewhere up ahead. Pearl froze, listening for the source. 

“Amethyst stop playing and come out here now.” Pearl tapped her foot, unenthused. 

“Shut up!” The voice was definitely Amethyst’s. Pearl still couldn’t tell where it was coming from. “Pearl please, just shut up.”

“I won’t be quiet until you come down here and talk to me like a civilized…” Pearl trailed off as the ground began to shake. A cascade of rock showered onto her head, Amethyst slid to a stop on a ridge above her.

“I’ll distract her.” Pearl squinted up at her. Amethyst had never looked so fierce; her hair twisted and snapped in the wind, revealing her face. Pearl had forgotten how beautiful she was. “Get out of here!”

“What’s going on?” Pearl barely had time to leap out of the way before the earth collapsed below her. Thin scraggly arms erupted from the cave in, followed by a monstrous head and thick, oblong body. Yellow eyes locked onto Pearl.

“Another one?!” The voice was horrendous; a gravely discordant medley of many voices. Pearl covered her ears at the volume, but could not drown her out.

The Gem creature howled in pain; Pearl heard the near deafening sound of Amethyst’s whip cracking hard against the large Gem. She turned large, teary eyes to Pearl.

“Pearl please go!”

Amethyst lashed out again before curling into a ball and hurtling away, drawing the creature after her. Pearl stared, dumbfounded and frightened. The Gem gave up on Amethyst, turning back to find Pearl.

Pearl cowered behind a large boulder, unable to do more than watch as Amethyst tried over and over to draw this Gem away from her. She was swatted away, smushed against the ground and battered into the cliffs but still she attacked. 

Pearl couldn’t watch any longer.

She leaped from her hiding place, sword drawn. The enormous Gem knocked Amethyst down with the back of her hand, turning her six eyes to Pearl.

“Itty bitty thing…” 

“Leave her alone Pyrite!” Amethyst snagged Pyrite’s reaching hands with twin whips. She dug her heels into the rock, teeth clenched with the effort needed to restrain her. 

Pearl hurled her sword, aiming for the weak shoulder joints of Pyrite’s third and fourth arm. Pyrite howled and batted the weapon away. She reached back with two hands. Amethyst nearly lost her hold as the gems that ran the length of Pyrite’s spine began to glow. She hadn’t used a weapon yet.

Two lengthy bands of cloth dangled from Pyrite’s fingers. She pulled hard, yanking Amethyst off her feet. Pearl drew a second sword, steeling herself for whatever would happen. She could do this…

Pyrite reached into a Gem depositor, gathering raw Gem shards into her fists. Amethyst tried to secure her again. Pyrite smashed her against the rock wall, sneering. She let the purple gem fall to the ground, placing a large chunk of raw Gem into the cloth in her hand. 

Pearl recognized the weapon when Pyrite began to swing them, wind whistling off the weighted shard as it spun viciously. 

The shard sang as it hurtled through the air toward Pearl. The sling was deadly accurate; Pearl slid out of the way in the nick of time, dust showering her face. Pearl stumbled a bit, wiping the grit from her eyes.

Another stone crashed beside her, knocking her to her knees. Pearl got to her feet quickly, springing off the Gem shards. She tried to get clear, unsure what range Pyrite could achieve with her slings. 

She darted behind a boulder and cleared her eyes. She had to have a plan, _some_ kind of strategy. The image of Amethyst laying helpless on the ground popped into Pearl’s head. She had to get to her. They couldn’t do this separately but maybe they could...together. 

Another enormous shard crashed nearby, striking a metal spar jutting from the earth. It splintered, forcing Pearl to guard her face again. Her skin prickled with flecks of dull Gem fragments. 

“Pearl!” Amethyst called out to her; she was close. Pearl peered around her boulder. Amethyst stood in front of Pyrite, whips unfurled and eyes fierce. Pearl found it hard to breathe in her presence. She’d never seen Amethyst like this. “You need to get out of here. Get Garnet!” 

“I…” Pearl tightened the grip on her sword, knuckles white. “I won’t leave you!” 

Amethyst struck with her whips, slamming the giant Gem into the cliff face. 

“Just go!”

“Amethyst, please!” Pearl stared while Amethyst grappled with Pyrite. Amethyst looked back at her, face revealed once more by the wind that howled through the canyons. 

“Go!” 

Pearl found her legs and hurtled for the warp pad. It would take too long to form Opal. She had to get Garnet. Pearl stopped to look back. Pyrite gained the upper hand, driving two fists into Amethyst and flattening her against the ground. The wind tore the cry away from her lips at the telltale cloud seeping from beneath Pyrite’s hands. She began to run back; she could not bear to leave her.

“And now for you!” Pyrite chuckled, slings whistling in the air. Pearl froze in her tracks. “We told her. We told her we were stronger!” 

Pyrite let her stone fly.

There was nowhere to hide and no time to dodge. Pearl closed her eyes and braced herself for the impact.

It came as a light nudge, forcing her back a step. Pearl opened her eyes. The shard lay at her feet, no larger than her fist. She looked up, confused.

Amethyst stood in front of her, arms spread wide. There was a hole in her chest, marring her Gem with a vicious white scratch. She wobbled, leaning forward. Pearl reached out to steady her. She fell to her knees to meet the shorter Gem’s eyes.

“Amethyst?” Pearl choked, smoothing the hair away from her forehead. Amethyst’s eyes fluttered open. She reached up to touch Pearl’s cheek. Pearl leaned into her soft, strong palm.

“I...I told ya P.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the slow update! I am getting married next week and things are quite hectic and exciting for me. As always enjoy!


	6. Chapter 6

Pearl’s shoulders shook with the force of her crying. She clutched Amethyst close to her chest, lips moving ceaselessly; whispering.

_”Please come back. Please come back. Please...please come back.”_

Amethyst had poofed when they entered the warp. Pearl couldn’t believe she held her body together that long; the hole had been large enough to put her arm through. Her fingers curled around the stone in her hands, tears plinking gently off the surface. 

The warp shimmered around them. She didn’t know where they were headed...just away. Pearl traced her thumbs over the scrape, fingernails catching the sharp edge. She stared at Amethyst. She half expected the Gem to spring forth, flippant and raucous as usual. The center of the violet stone glowed dully.

“Alright...you got me.” Pearl set the stone down and wiped her eyes before placing her hands delicately in her lap. She chuckled, manic. “You were right and I was...less right.”

Amethyst remained. Pearl scooped her up again, hands feeling empty without her. “You...you can come back anytime now.”

Nothing. 

Pearl rubbed her cheek against the stone’s flat facet, finding it warm. More tears slipped from her eyes. She could hardly feel them now. Her chest ached from both the strike of the stone and the constant pendulous shifting of emotions. One moment, she could not believe that Amethyst would put herself in harm’s way for her. The next, she was stricken mad with the certainty that Amethyst was simply messing with her...again.

The warp disappeared; the beach house materialized around them. Pearl crumpled again, losing the battle against the incredulity of Amethyst’s sacrifice; it should have been the other way around. 

No Quartz poofed for a Pearl. 

No warrior died for slave. 

Not even Rose had done that for her. Often the Gem defeated the opponent who proved too much for Pearl. She had defended and protected her so many times. Pearl remembered seeing her, shield raised and arms sheltering her from the unceasing riptide of war. 

Never once had she taken a blow to spare Pearl the pain.

Pearl clutched Amethyst all the closer, resuming her quiet, desperate mantra.

“Please come back…”

_’So I can make it right again.’_

“Pearl!” Her stomach lurched. Steven was the first to see her like this. She held tighter to Amethyst, too weak to stand. He ran up to her, bending down to look at her face. “Where’s Amethyst?”

Pearl opened her hands, extending Amethyst towards the boy. 

“H-Here…” Pearl couldn’t see, vision blurred with tears. Her hands shook, threatening the drop the wounded Gem. Steven put his hands over hers, stopping the trembling of her lip. She blinked, confused. He had a serious look to him, mouth set in a grim line. She looked at their joined hands, gently cradling Amethyst. 

“I’ll be right back.” He gave her a quick nod and scampered off. Pearl looked at Amethyst, choking back another sob. 

“Seriously Amethyst…” 

Amethyst remained.

“Here.” Steven had returned. He shoved a soft pillow into her chest. He held a small desk lamp in his other hand. He reached out and grabbed her by the wrist. She followed, tears threatening her again. 

Steven placed the lamp on the table and plugged it in. He snatched the pillow from her and placed it under the light bulb. She suppressed the smile twitching her lips as he adjusted the pillow, eyes squinted and tongue poking through tight lips. He held out his hand for Amethyst. Pearl looked at her, hesitant to let her go again. 

Steven wiggled his fingers, impatient. 

Pearl sighed and placed the stone in his waiting hand. Steven put Amethyst upon the pillow and pulled the cord. A yellow circle of light covered Amethyst. Little sparkles of refracted purple light showered the pillow. Pearl gasped at the beauty of it; Amethyst truly was a Crystal Gem. She could not ignore the gap in refraction where the scratch stared at her. Guilt swamped her.

Amethyst had spent _her_ day battling a monster while she...while she had been cleaning and thinking of how to reprimand the incorrigible Gem when she returned from her fool’s errand.

_’I told ya P.’_

Pearl ached for the feeling of Amethyst’s hand on her cheek; to ground her, to affirm the long submerged closeness she’d nearly forgotten - intimacy she’d been determined to ignore. 

The memory posed a stale comparison to the reality of Amethyst’s wonderfully calloused palm, honed by centuries of practice with rough handled whips. She shook her head. Steven put his arms around her waist, cheek flat to her back. Pearl gazed at the violet shimmers.

“It should have been me…” Pearl whispered, too quiet for Steven to hear. He squeezed her anyway. 

“I did this for you when you poofed…” Pearl stifled a sob with her hand. She remembered.

“Don’t worry Pearl. Amethyst will be back by morning. You’ll see.” Pearl smiled. He was right; Amethyst never stayed poofed for long.

She was not back by morning. Pearl paced, biting unconsciously at her fingernails. She stopped in front of Amethyst, bending down until her nose nearly touched her. 

“If you’re trying to teach me a lesson, I get it.” 

Nothing happened. 

Pearl stomped away, irritated and unsympathetic. It was easier to be cross with Amethyst for taking her time than it was to remember why it had happened in the first place.

Pearl looked around the house. Steven had gone into town to see his friends at that donut place. Garnet had yet to make herself known. Pearl suspected she was investigating the Kindergarten. 

As if summoned by her thoughts, the warp pad flashed and Garnet stepped down. She swiped her hands through her hair, showering the rug with clods of black earth. Pearl huffed at her, despite her malaise. 

“No sign of Pyrite,’ Garnet said flatly. She walked away from Pearl and opened the door to her room.

“Where can a Gem that size be hiding?” Pearl was indignant. Garnet turned to look back at her. 

“She knows the underground better than we do. No one knows the surface like Amethyst.” Pearl looked away, unable to hold her mirrored gaze. “We are going to wait.” 

Garnet disappeared before Pearl could protest. Pearl stalked over to Amethyst, hands on her hips. 

“See? You’re needed.” Pearl glared at the purple stone. “Isn’t that what you wanted?” 

She felt bad saying it. Amethyst glittered silently against her pillow. Pearl sighed and strode over to the warp pad. This was a matter of brains; she didn’t need Garnet...or Amethyst. 

“Is Amethyst back yet?” Steven emerged from his loft, yawning and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Pearl removed her foot from the warp, unsure when she had put it there.

“Not yet,” Pearl grumbled.

“That’s okay.” Steven tottered over to the refrigerator, pulling out two apples. He set one beside Amethyst’s pillow. “I’m sure she will be back in no time.”

It amazed her; how positive he was _all the time._ She couldn’t understand these humans sometimes. Mortal creatures with finite lives, scurrying about in their effort to mark the world.

Steven was different. 

A knock at the door sent Steven flying away, dropping the half eaten apple on the floor. Pearl picked it up, grimacing. She glanced over at Amethyst. 

“I’m sorry…” Perhaps an apology was the key. Pearl bit her lip, expectant. Amethyst did not return. Pearl sighed and tossed the apple in the trash can. She looked up in time to see Steven slipping out the door with his ukelele. 

Pearl followed, shutting the door behind her. She should have guessed it was Connie at the door. No one visited as often as she did. Pearl suspected Steven had a sort of crush on her.

She crossed her arms and leaned on the railing, listening to him sing for the Indian girl. A smile flickered across her lips as she watched him dance and flit over the beach. Connie laughed.

“And Steven!” He finished, pushing his thumb into his chest.

“I’ve heard that song before.” Connie straightened her lensless frames. “Play something I don’t know.”

Steven moved his hand to his chin, brow furrowed in thought. Pearl leaned forward eagerly. She enjoyed it when he played. It was better than Greg’s music anyway. Steven’s face lit up. He glanced up and smiled at Pearl before strumming the first chord. 

“All I want to do,” Steven returned his attention to Connie. “Is see you turn into a giant woman.”

“What?” Connie laughed. Pearl straightened up, nose itching. 

“All I want to be is someone who gets to see,” Steven glanced up at the window where Amethyst rested in the living room. Pearl bit back a weak sob. “A giant woman.” 

Pearl let her mind wander, lips following along with the words meant to coax Opal from the corner she had placed her in. Tears finally slipped from her eyelids.

_You might even like being together…_

“And even if you don’t, it won’t last forever…” Pearl whispered along with Steven. She didn’t want to listen any more. Pearl went inside, moving to sit beside Amethyst. 

“I’m sorry…” Pearl looked away, wiping her eyes with the backs of her hands. “I d-didn’t mean for this to happen; not to us.” 

She reached over, fingers skirting the edge of the pillow. Pearl looked at the shimmering stone, the image blurred and wet. 

“I w-want to be friends again.”

Nothing happened.

“I was hoping she might hear my song and it might make her feel better…” Pearl could hear Steven just outside the door. She pulled her hand away, nervous. The two children breezed into the living room. Pearl sniffed loudly and wiped her eyes. Connie froze, sympathy drawn in lines too firm for a child’s face. Pearl flapped her hands, undesirous of her concern. 

“I’m f-fine. Really.”

Both of them squeezed her tightly; the tuning keys of Steven’s ukulele dug into her back. Her shoulders trembled but she managed to rein in her tears with a final sniffle. 

“What if she can’t come back…” Pearl’s voice trailed off as her eyes landed on the scratch in her side.

“You guys always come back.” Steven squeezed her tighter. “You’ll see.”

Pearl nodded, her cheek moving against his soft curly hair.

She didn’t believe him.


End file.
